INFINIX introduced its Note 4 series of smartphones in the Philippines, comprising the Note 4 and Note 4 Pro. The upstart brand is exclusively sold by Hellotronics locally, which sells smartphones and other electronics through Lazada Philippines.

The Infinix Note 4 (click for complete specs) and the Infinix Note 4 Pro (click for full specs) are the latest additions to a growing number of affordable, big-screen phones on the local market, with both sporting a huge, 5.7-inch display that is said to have a higher contrast rate and vibrancy than most competing handsets. That obviously translates to a better viewing experience — especially when watching movies and playing games — which is what these two are really designed for.

The internals are similar across the board as well: octa-core MediaTek chip running at 1.3GHz, alongside Mali-T720 graphics and up to 3GB of RAM and 32GB of expandable storage; 13- and 8-megapixel rear and front cameras; a home button that doubles as a fingerprint scanner; and high-capacity batteries that are above the 4,000mAh mark (4,500mAh for the Pro; 4,300mAh for the standard Note 4).

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Fast charging comes standard with either handset using the bundled 18-watt charger. Both ship with a custom, if unattractive, overlay built on top of Android 7.0 Nougat, which is a good thing for any phone released in 2017.

At the launch, we got to play around with both devices, and we can confirm that performance is okay if you’re willing to compromise on the games you’ll play. And battery life should be good, too, given the hardware. The venue was too dark, so it wouldn’t be fair to criticize the cameras until we put them through their paces during the day.

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In terms of aesthetics, however, the Infinix Note 4 and the Infinix Note 4 Pro couldn’t be further apart. Whereas the latter touts a metal unibody design that resembles the OnePlus 5’s, the Note 4 is made of glossy, slippery plastic, and its curved back cover can be peeled off at will to access the SIM and SD card slots. 

The Infinix Note 4 is made of glossy plastic

The Infinix Note 4 Pro comes with a stylus a la the Samsung Galaxy Note phones

Not only that, the Pro model comes with a pressure-sensitive stylus a la the Samsung Galaxy Note phones — hence the name. Too bad there’s no slot on the side to tuck the stylus in, and not worry constantly about losing it. The stylus works about as well as you’d imagine using the included note-taking app.

The Infinix Note 4 will start selling for P8,999 (about $177) on July 21 through Lazada Philippines. The Note 4 Pro, on the other hand, is understandably price higher at P11,999 ($236) but won’t ship anytime soon, we’re told.

The Infinix Note 4 will cost P8,999 (about $177). The Infinite Note 4 Pro, on the other hand, is understandably priced higher at P11,999 ($236).

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